Bengaluru, Jan 12 (IANS): The Karnataka government has decided to close schools from Class 1 to 9 in Bengaluru till the end of January following the recent surge in the Covid cases in the city.

Minister for Education B.C. Nagesh confirmed this on Wednesday. He said that since the number of infections have crossed the 10,000 mark in Bengaluru, the decision has been made in the interest of children.

He also said that it is left to the discretion of the District Commissioners of respective districts in the rest of the state to take a call on opening or closure of schools.

There is, however, no spike in the number of cases at schools.

Single classes were split into two sections and other precautions are being taken. However, the decisions will be taken at taluk levels to run the schools based on the ground situation, the Minister explained.

A decision would be taken after the recommendations of the technical committee in this regard, he stated. Though the cases are rising in Bengaluru, the students of class 10, 11 and 12 have not caught infection, he added.

Twelve taluks in the state have zero positivity. The schools have been closed in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi districts. Due to Covid-19, in the last one and a half years, education has been hit, he stated.

As many as 16 students have tested positive for Covid in the Central University of Karnataka in Kalaburagi on Wednesday. 18 students have tested positive for Covid on Tuesday. A total of 45 people have been affected with Covid-19 so far. An isolation centre has been opened on the premises.